Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 17:31:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Author James
Subject: Adventures Of A Real Dark Knight 8
Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent
chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their
sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all
from my own mind. Scary!! People actually get a glimpse into my mind!!!
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss
Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox.
Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics
and Warner Bros.
X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel
Comics and 20th Century Fox.
Star Trek and all related characters created by Gene Roddenberry.
Copyright Paramount Studios.
I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in
case, I have myself covered.
In this story, which has been floating around in my head most of my life,
you will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I
hope you all enjoy this. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to
give. This story doesn't deal so much with sex, sex, sex, but more of my
feelings that I struggled with and am starting to come to terms with. Part
of his background is mine. I do hope that you enjoy it!!!
This section of chapters is a continuation of my first story "Tales of a
Real Dark Knight". I have received many emails from people who have
enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you.
Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are
commenting on. Thanks.
jmsotc@yahoo.com
This chapter was co-written by one of my readers. He came up with the idea
and we put together the story. Here is his email address. I'm sure he
would be happy to receive feedback from you.
jas931@hotmail.com
Chapter 8 Runaway Mutant
Two weeks later...
I returned to work, which went by slowly. I had a few clients to
see that day, not the normal lot. It was nice, though, because I was able
to do some studying. Brian showed up around lunchtime.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi, Brian. How are you doing today?"
"Tired. After what happened with mom, I'm having a difficult time
to adjust to her not being around."
"Where are you staying? Surely not in that old building."
"No. Department of Human Services have set me up a small apartment
for the remainder of the year, until I get my life situated."
"That was good of them."
"Yeah." Brian walked closer to me. "I came by to see if you
wanted to go to lunch before class."
"Sure. Let me gather my things."
I grabbed my gear and we headed out.
"I was wondering," Brian said, "if you told anybody about me."
I knew he was referring to Alan, George and Hailey.
"No. I haven't said anything to anyone. I'm good at keeping
secrets, remember?"
Brian smiled. "Yeah. I remember."
We grabbed a quick sandwich and headed off to campus. Classes were
interesting and time seemed to fly.
Across town, young Joshua Monroe sat in his new bedroom with his
new foster parents Roger and Kara.
"I hope you like your new room," Roger said to Joshua. "Kara and I
tried to put things in it that you might like. Our other son helped out a
bit."
Joshua said nothing. His mind and emotions were still processing
everything that had happened to him over the last couple of days: his
parents' death, his exposure to what must have been vampires, and his visit
with the psychologist. Now, he's staying at some strangers' home. How
much more change can he deal with? Unfortunately, more change was already
beginning to manifest.
Joshua heard a mumble of "I wish I knew what he was thinking" by
Roger. He looks up at him. "What did you say?" he asked.
"Nothing," Roger replied. "Our son, Peter, will be here after
school. You can meet him then. I think you two will get along.
"Is he hearing voices now?"
Joshua looks up at Roger.
"We'll be downstairs," Kara said to Joshua, "in case you need
anything. Take your time to settle in."
The couple walked downstairs but Joshua could still hear Roger
somehow.
"Poor kid was traumatized. It must be worse than what anyone
thought. Maybe tomorrow I should notify Lena."
Nervousness filled Joshua.
"Are they going to send me away? I just lost my mom and dad. I
can't deal with all this change at once. What should I do? I know I'll
run away. It's bad enough that kids at school treat me as something not
human."
Nightfall. Joshua waited until Roger, Kara, and Peter went to bed
before acting. Slowly, he opened his window and crawled out onto the porch
roof. He made his way over to the tree in the front yard and jumped onto
the nearest branch. He shimmied down the tree to ground level and took off
running down the street.
An hour later, Joshua found himself in downtown L.A., feeling
uneasy at the strange surroundings. "What am I doing?" he thought. "This
is insane. But... now matter where I go, I'm among strangers."
Joshua watched the strangers moving around him, several looking at
him curiously, others looking at him seductively. He knew what they wanted
and what they were thinking. He could actually read their thoughts.
What's that kid doing out here this late?
Where's my son? Maybe he's my son. I lost him so long ago it
could be him.
I'll be he could give me a real nice time.
Joshua's nervousness hits overdrive as the thoughts flooded his
mind and overwhelmed him.
One of the people walked up to him and grabbed him.
"Are you my son?" he asked.
"Do you want a good time, boy?" another asked.
"Get away from me!" Joshua screamed at them. "Leave me alone!"
Joshua pulled away from the stranger's grasp and ran down the
street with the molesters in close pursuit. Joshua runs into a dead end
alley.
"My God," he thought, "they are going to hurt me."
The strangers entered the alley.
"Come here, boy," one called out.
"I just want to show you a good time," the other said.
The molesters neared and noticed him hiding in the corner. A big
grin flashes across their faces.
As I patrolled, I heard a familiar voice call out "Leave me alone!"
I followed it to see a young man run into an alley, followed by two men.
Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Joshua. What in the world was he
doing out here so late by himself? Getting into trouble, that's what.
I jumped down to the ground level. I grabbed one of the men by the
collar and jerked him back. I pulled hard and threw him into a dumpster.
The other man turned to me.
"Think you can take me down, Batman? Think you can?"
With one quick fluid movement, he drew a gun and aimed it right at
me. I wasn't afraid as I was wearing a bulletproof suit. I looked him
dead in the eye.
"I've never heard of a vampire wielding a gun before."
"These are different times. We must all be careful what we face,
even freaks in masks."
"Have you looked in the mirror lately? You should be wearing a
mask. Oh, wait, I forgot. You don't have a reflection."
The vampire pulled the trigger. The bullet hit me and I fell
wanting him to believe me dead. I watched him turn to Joshua. As he
neared, I prepared myself to jump up and attack.
"Please. Don't hurt me. I didn't do anything to you."
"It doesn't matter," the vampire said. "I'm hungry."
"NO!" Joshua screamed.
The vampire lifted off the ground and flew passed me into the wall.
He landed with a thump.
"My god. Joshua's a mutant," I thought.
I stood up.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"What...what happened?"
"You pushed him away."
"But I...how could I do that?"
"You tell me."
Joshua looked over my shoulder. I turned to see the vampire I
tossed into the dumpster come running. I pulled out a wooden stake. As he
neared, I flung my arm out. He ran right into the stake and turned to
dust.
"You just killed him," Joshua replied.
"He was a vampire. Vampires are undead...neither living nor dead."
"But..."
"It's all right. Let's get you home."
"I...I have no home. You saw what happened with my parents. Did
the police find Kevin?"
"Kevin who?"
"My adoptive parents biological son."
"I don't know. I didn't hang around for the crime scene
investigation. I can check it out later tonight."
Joshua turned and paced around. Clearly he was on
edge...frustrated, nervous, and scared. He has had to deal with so much
change in such a short period of time. I was going to make it my goal to
help him, if not as Batman then as Eric.
Joshua turned around and looked at me. "Eric?" He looked into my
eyes and realization dawned on his face. "Eric! My psychologist?!"
"You must be telepathic, too. Tell me, have you read any others'
minds."
"Just my foster parents."
I was going to press further but without warning another vampire
came down the alley.
"I saw you guys run down here. What's the big...rush?"
Joshua and I both turned to face him.
"Uh...sorry. I was looking for my buddies. You didn't happen to
know where they went?"
"Sure do," I replied and popped out a Bat. I threw it at his head
and it severed clean off. As the body fell, it turned to dust.
"Whoa! That was so cool!"
"They are vampires."
"You mean vampires exist?"
"Sure do. Let's get you home."
Not too much later, Joshua and I arrived at his foster family's
house. I used my mutant ability and we floated to the second floor where
his window was left open.
"What do we do tomorrow?" he asked.
"Tomorrow you will go to school like planned. I will contact the
Xavier School for the Gifted and see about getting you in."
"The Xavier School? Isn't that for mutants?"
"Yep."
"I will finally be with people who I'm like. I won't feel so
alone. I won't be picked on any more."
"Go inside. Get some rest. I'll be in touch."
Once Joshua was safely inside, I jumped off the roof and headed
towards the hotel to see Lance. I couldn't very well go in dressed like
this, nor did I have a change of clothes. But I could watch him through
the window. I felt something change in me, something that I had waited
for: the change of fearing a relationship into wanting and accepting one,
the change that made me feel better about taking the risks that
relationships entail. I was falling in love with Lance. It was getting
intense. On the dance floor a few weeks ago, it was just a passing notion
in the heat of the moment. Now, it was turning into something real.
Something I couldn't wait to experience again.
I remember feeling like this before when I first came to terms with
the fact I'm gay. I had this feeling of apprehension as all the gay men I
seemed to see were those who were interested in the most gorgeous person
and wanted nothing but sex. I felt so left out of the gay community. I
didn't fit in with the Christian community, as most of them did not affirm
homosexuals. I didn't fit in with the gay community as most of them seemed
to want to party and have sex orgies. Where did I belong?
It wasn't until after I found some gay friends that believed in
having a serious relationship and believed being gay wasn't about just
getting off with another guy, that my feelings began to change. I became a
teenager in a sense. I felt like a kid in a candy store. The candy, of
course, was other gay men. It was that I wanted to have sex with every man
I met...that wasn't the case. It was the fact that there was a possibility
to date and get to know other gay men. For the first time in a long time I
had confidence and wanted to explore people, to experience people. I was
so antisocial but I changed and became excited about life.
It was happening again with Lance. I wanted to be close to him.
It wasn't like with Justin. With Justin, to me he seemed the perfect man.
I had a crush on him, infatuation. That's all it was. I got to experience
my infatuation come reality. It was good while it lasted, but it did more
damage than anything else. Lance, however, was a different story. He had
become something real to me. And I was excited over that prospect.
I returned home and showered up. I had a big day tomorrow.
To Be Continued...